From the Diaspora… COALITION MORE SUDS THAN SUBSTANCE

By Ralph Seeram, April 19, 2015 | By KNews | Filed Under News, Source

I am beginning to think that the PNC-led coalition APNU/AFC is just a “one trick pony”, a one issue group, just bent on replacing the PPP government based on corruption issues.

Yes the coalition’s message is “change” but what voters are not hearing is change to what. Has anybody heard what concrete plans APNU/AFC has to take Guyana to the next level economically, to improve Guyana’s economy which has a consistent average annual growth rate of four per cent recognized as among the best in the Caribbean and Latin America?

Change so far must be for the AFC to get 12 seats and for Moses Nagamootoo to be Prime Minister with some powers that normally rests with the President of the country.

What kind of “change the opposition is talking about?  As far as I gather, their first order is to “jail some PPP Ministers” if they get in office. Well change has to be more than that. It seems to me that the APNU+AFC coalition is more interested in getting into power, than the interest of the people.

If you want to dispute this, it’s over two months since the Valentine Day wedding. The wedding vows (Cummingsburg Accord) only talks of dividing the spoils of office, who get what office, Moses has to be Prime Minister.

Anybody heard so far what’s in the marriage for the ordinary Guyanese? After all it’s over two months now; the electorate needs to know more than just “jail some PPP” ministers.

For some who may not know the term “where’s the beef” it stems from an old Wendy’s commercial, where a little old lady was disappointed when the burger she bought had more filling than actual beef. It became synonymous with “give me substance not fluff” or as the law will say facts give me facts, show evidence not hearsay.

At time of writing the coalition said that they may release their manifesto in stages this weekend.

So I was looking at the issues that this “unity coalition” and its supporters dealt with these past few weeks, that can win those votes.

APNU/AFC has been finding it difficult to “dig up dirt” on Prime Ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper. So this week they found some “dirt”. Harper signed as a guarantor on a loan for her son. That’s it folks. Her son got into a business dispute with partners in a venture, agreed to repay, mother signs as guarantor and that is so bad from the APNU/AFC perspective.

Apparently the coalition has no idea how the business world operates. Elisabeth Harper should have condemned former President Bharrat Jagdeo because of allegations made by his wife. She should have condemned Jagdeo based on allegations mind you, not facts, and that will help the opposition win votes.

Let’s see what else of national importance APNU/AFC came up with this week. Oh children of PPP officials on the list of PPP candidates. That’s so horrible.

You know they do not call election season the silly season for nothing. Only election season you can hear nonsense like what Moses Nagamootoo said, that he is not Indian but Guyanese. Moses is a very confused man or sly politician.

When he was in front a pro APNU crowd he endeared himself as Guyanese. What confuses me is that this same Moses Nagamootoo promised to deliver 11% Indian votes mainly in Berbice because of his “Indianess”. Is there such a word? Honestly I would like Moses to go Port Mourant or Whim and tell the people there he is not Indian, but you and I know that won’t happen.

By the way, when did this Indo Guyanese or Afro Guyanese enter into the Guyanese language? Growing up in Guyana, it was always you are an Indian or East Indian or coolie, African or Blackman. Where did this Indo or Afro stuff came from? Let me make it very clear. I do not view the words coolie or Blackman as derogatory, as some try to make out to be.

Anyone ever heard of an “Amerindian Guyanese” (now that will be a misnomer), a “Putagee” Guyanese, and Chinese Guyanese? Politics makes some of us do silly things, like denying your race to win votes.

So far, in this silly season the opposition has been all “suds and froth”, all bubbles, no substance, no beef. It’s about 21 days to elections. The voters are hungry to hear what the PNC-led APNU/AFC can do for them or better than what the PPP has laid out in their Manifesto Version 2.0.

Empty slogans like “time” and “change” telling youths you going to finds job without telling them how, smearing characters do not satisfy electorate appetites will not win elections, “Where’s the beef”

Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph365@hotmail.com and on Facebook.